Starting an Amazon business takes time, dedication, hard work and when launching products, a lot of trial and error. It may take up to 3 or 6 months for your Amazon business to pick up, and often new sellers give up sooner because of careless mistakes like not being able to master Amazon listing optimization.
However, if you do it right, selling on Amazon can be a profitable business. Starting and growing a successful Amazon store from scratch can prove difficult especially for those who are inexperienced with e-commerce.
Thankfully, you have the option to buy an established Amazon business just like how one would buy a brick and mortar store.
Is it possible to buy an Amazon seller account or business?
It is not a well-known fact but you can definitely find an Amazon FBA business for sale or sell yours if you wish. In recent years, Amazon has approved more and more sales of seller accounts. This statement is found in Amazon’s terms:
“Seller accounts generally are not transferable. Seller accounts provide access to the tools and resources that sellers use to list their products and manage their orders. Seller accounts also include account activity history and buyer feedback. Every seller on Amazon must have a seller account and an agreement with Amazon that establishes the terms under which the seller lists and sells their products.
If the ownership of a business changes for any reason, the new owner needs to establish a new seller account.”
Take note of the third word in the first sentence, “generally”, which implies that the transfer of accounts is possible although it is not usually promoted by Amazon. This trend of selling and buying whole Amazon accounts is still reasonably uncommon so expect to encounter a lot naysayers.
Amazon as a business typically approves the sale and transfer of Amazon seller accounts because it will help Amazon generate more income by allowing the Amazon store to continue doing business. Sure, it may be under a new owner but better a new owner than no owner at all.
The seller would need to contact seller support and get an approval letter from them. This will provide the seller with the necessary information they need to successfully change the account information of the account being sold.
Buying an Amazon seller account is usually as simple as updating the information on the seller central account. There is certain information that you would need to change on the seller account to complete the transfer of ownership.
Once the Amazon account has been sold, the buyer can just update this information accordingly. If the buyer requests the seller to enter the new data for them, then the seller can oblige and do it for them as well.
Just provide the buyer with the correct login information for them to successfully access the account and update the account information themselves.
Charge Method (Credit Card)
The charging method needs to be updated so that Amazon will have the correct credit information to continue charging its fees to.
Deposit Method (Bank account)
The bank account needs to be updated so that once the transfer of the seller account is complete, the sales generated moving forward would be deposited to the new owner’s bank account.
TAX information
The new owner’s tax information such as their SSN or EIN needs to be entered to complete the change of ownership. Updating the tax information is essential so that both the new and previous owner can avoid any tax headaches.
Account Name
The name of the new owner needs to be entered and saved for the system to update, which will then be reflected in Amazon databases.
Email address associated
The final piece of information that needs to be updated is the email address that is associated with the seller account. All future communications from Amazon about any activity on Amazon will be sent to the new email address on file.
Why do people put their Amazon FBA business for sale?
There could be many different reasons why some people would put their Amazon FBA account for sale. Why do people with brick and mortar stores or businesses end up selling their business? The same reasons and circumstances apply to the selling of an e-commerce business.
Some Amazon business owners may need the capital for another business venture or project. Maybe they need the funds for an emergency they are going through or are tired of it all. The only ones that would know what their reasons are, are the sellers themselves.
What is the going rate for an Amazon business?
The usual list price of an Amazon FBA business for sale is about 25 times their monthly revenue. So if your Amazon store generates $3,000 profit per month, then the list/sale price of your Amazon seller account could be around $60,000.
This estimate can change depending on your negotiations with the buyer. For an Amazon business to be considered marketable, it should be at least 24 months old. So the company should be in full swing for about two years.
Anything less than that and you may have some trouble finding someone who will be interested in buying your Amazon seller account. After all, buying and investing in an Amazon store that isn’t established is considered a risk.
Where can you buy an Amazon seller account or business?
The trend of selling and buying Amazon businesses is gaining popularity. Some online brokerages and marketplaces provide prospective buyers with the latest listings of Amazon FBA businesses for sale.
These are the most popular marketplaces to purchase regular businesses and online businesses, Amazon e-commerce businesses included. You can choose from brick and mortar or online stores on various websites. Skip these since you’re interested in buying an Amazon seller account.
Each of the sites above has their lists of online businesses that are for sale. All you need to do is type “Amazon FBA” or “Amazon business” in the search box and all the Amazon FBA businesses being sold on that site will pop up.
Go through the results, filter for the ones with a decent income. Makes sure that the revenue that is generated per month is worth your time. Check the list price of the business and if you like what you see; contact the seller and make an offer or bid for the company.
It’s Your Turn To Buy An Amazon Seller Account
Getting your foot in the door in e-commerce can be tough to do, especially with all the established online stores at the forefront. Buying an Amazon FBA business will give you a chance to hit the ground running and continue the success of your new (old) Amazon store.
Purchasing the seller account of a thriving Amazon business transfers all the store rights, customer ratings, reviews and monthly profits of the Amazon business to the new owner. Break into e-commerce riding the success of your newly purchased Amazon account. Take it to new heights, continue its successful operation and expand it when you’re ready.